Display case



w. Y.l wHlTLEY 1,950,282

DISPLAY CASE s sheets-sheet 1 Bl @Mm/2M I ttomey March 6, 1934.

Filed July 22, 1952 NRN! March 6, 1934. w. Y. WHITLEY DISPLAY CASE Filed Ju'ly 22, 1932 3 Sheets- Shee'rl 2 nvenlor Q By @Mw/@ fllforney March s, 1934. W- Y. {NHITLEY 1,950,282

DISPLAY CASE Filed July 22, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNTD STABS sallazV 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in display cases of the general type of that forming the subject matter of my U. S. Patent No. 1,864,169. dated June 2l, 1932, and

has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a case of this character embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement for incorporation in soda fountains, ice cream cabinets, lunch counters,

l0 etc. for utilizing the valuable counter surface or area for display purposes while at the same time retaining the full counter space.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a display case of the aforementioned character including a plurality of display compartments and further including a novel supporting structure for mounting the display compartments on a soda fountain or other structure.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a display case including one or more mechanically or otherwise refrigerated display compartments in which the merchandise will be displayed in a highly attractive manner to patrons of the soda fountain or other structure.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide a display case embodying compartments which are so arranged as to permit convenient access thereto by the attendant 80 behind the soda fountainor other structure.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a display case of the character described which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, ei'iicient and reliable in use, compact, and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

All oi the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure l is a view in top plan showing a display case in accordance with the present invention incorporated in a soda fountain.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken through the refrigerated compartment of the display case.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical transverse section,

taken through another portion of the display case.

Figure 4 is a detail view in horizontal section through the refrigerated compartment of the dis- .y play case. V Figure. 5 is a detail View in perspective, showing the supporting means for the display case partitions.

Figure 6 is a detail view in perspective of one end portion of the display case, with the top removed.

ligure 7 is a detail View in perspective showing an end portion of the soda fountain slabs or walls upon which the display case is mounted.

Figure 8 is a detail view in perspective, show= ing one end portion of the base.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral l designates generally a soda fountain comprising a front wall 2 and side walls 3, the latter includi r raised portions i which are spaced from the 70 front wall 2 and which provide inclined shoulders 5.

Mounted horizontally on top of the front wall 2 vand the adjacent portions of the side walls 3 is a hase 6 having longitudinal and transverse 75 grooves 7 and 8, respectively, in its upper surface. The base 6 is further provided with a upeveled inner edge 9 engaging the shoulders 5. Mounted on the inner marginal portion of the hase 6 is an inclined wall 16.

Metal standards 1l are rigidly mounted on the inclined wail lo and the adjacent portions of the base 6 at each of the grooves 8, said standards having grooves l2 in their front edges which are aligned with said grooves e. The inclined wall lo and the base 6 are provided with openings ior the passage of securing elements, such as screws, for anchoring the standards l1 in position, the openings in said inclined wall 10 being shown and indicated by the reference numeral 13 in Figure 5 oi the drawings. It will thus be seen that the standards il provide means ior rigidly connecting the inclined wall l0 to the base 6.

The display case proper comprises a front glass lll which is mounted in the groove 7 of the base 6, end glasses l5 and partitions i6 which are mounted in the grooves 8 and a top glass 17 which is secured in any suitable manner on the upper edges of the glasses lli, l5 and i6. The top glass 17 is fastened by screws or the like to the upper ends of the standards ll, such screws engaging the holes il at the upper ends of the standards. The glasses l5 and 16 have one end engaged in the grooves l2 of the standards 1l. The other ends of the glasses l5 and 16 may be secured in any suitable well known manner to the front glass lll. lt will thus be seen that a plurality oi compartments has been provided. Access to the compartments is pro- Gil" vided through doors 18 which are hingedly mounted, as at 19, on top of the inclined wall 10 for swinging movement in a vertical plane. Handles 20 are provided on the doors 18.

The reference numeral 21 designates trimming which is mounted on the front of the wall 2 of the soda fountain beneath the projecting front portion of the base 6. Suitable heat insulating material 22 is provided on the rear or inner side of the wall 2 of the soda fountain. Heat insulating material 23 is provided on the lower side of the portion of the base 6 which is inwardly or rearwardly of the wall 2. Extending inwardly or rearwardly from the front wall 2 of the soda fountain in spaced relation beneath the base 6 is a plate 24 from the inner or rear marginal portion of which rises a vertical wall section 25. Mounted on top of the vertical wall section 25 is an inclined wall 26 which extends in spaced, opposed relation to the inclined wall 10 and which, in conjunction with said inclined wall 16, provides a well for the reception of avor jars 27. It will further be seen that a compartment 28 has been provided into which the lower portions of the flavor jars extend. The flavor jars 27 are removable, as usual. The jars 27 include flanged tops 29 which rest on the upper edges of the inclined walls 10 and 26.

One of the display compartments is refrigerated, the same being designated by the reference numeral 30. The refrigerated compartment 30 is located above a compartment 32 which is defined beneath the base 6 by sheets of heat insulating or other suitable material 33 which are mounted on the wall 2 and the base 6. A suitable reirigerating mechanism 34 is mounted in the compartment 32 and is connected with a coil 35 or an equivalent device which is mounted in the compartment 30, a partition 31 separating the compartment 30 from the compartment 32.

The base 6 is further provided, in the refrigerated compartment 30, with a groove 36 which extends in spaced parallelism with the groove 7 for the reception of a spaced glass inner wall 37 having its upper edge spaced below the top 17. Sheets of heat insulating material 38 extend adjacent the side walls of the refrigerated compartment 30 and have their upper edges also spaced below the glass top 17. The forward ends of the sheets 38 abut the glass 37. A spaced inner glass top 39 rests on the glass inner front 37 and the insulating sheets 38. A bar 40 of insulating material is provided in the upper rear portion of the refrigerated compartment 30, said bar being mounted beneath the glass top 17 and being engaged with the rear edge. of the inner top 39. It will thus be seen that dead air chambers 41 and 42 have been provided at the front and top of the refrigerated compartment S0. The chambers 41 and 42 do not communicate with each other. The rear face of the insulating bar is beveled or inclined for engagement with a correspondingly shaped portion of a sheet 43 of heat insulating material which is mounted on the inner side of the door 18 of the refrigerated compartment 30. The reference numeral 44 designates a sheet of heat insulating material which is mounted on the inner side of the inclined wall 10 in the refrigerated compartment 30.

It will thus be seen that the structure, in addition to serving in the usual manner as a counter,

functions ina highly satisfactory manner for attractively displaying merchandise to patrons of the soda fountain. The merchandise, of course, cannot be touched by the patrons but may be conveniently placed in the compartments or removed therefrom by the attendant of the soda fountain through the doors 18. Merchandise placed in the refrigerated compartment 13 will likewise be fully displayed and may rest directly on the coil 35. Slabs 45 are mounted horizontally on the raised portions 4 of the side walls 3 of the soda fountain.

It is believed that the many advantages of a display case constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed iszl. A display means of the class described comprising a vertical supporting wall, a base mounted horizontally on the upper edge of the wall, and a display case mounted on the base, said display case including an inclined wall mounted on a marginal portion of the base, standards mounted on one side of the inclined wall and rising vertically therefrom, a front glass and partition glasses mounted on the base, the partition glasses being engaged with the standards, and a top glass mounted on the front and partition glasses and secured to the upper ends of the standards.

2. A display means of the class described comprising a vertical supporting wall, a base mounted horizontally on the upper edge of the Wall, and a display case mounted on the base, said display case including an inclined wall mounted on a marginal portion of the base, standards mounted on one side of the inclined wall and rising vertically therefrom, a front glass and partition glasses mounted on the base, the partition glasses being engaged with the standards, and a top glass mounted on the front and partition glasses, the base and the standards having communicating grooves therein for the reception of the front and partition glasses, the display case further including doors hingedly mounted on top of the inclined wall.

3. In combination with a supporting structure including a top wall, said top wall having a longitudinally extending groove in its upper face adjacent its front edge and a plurality of transverse grooves, an upwardly and rearwardly extending strip connected to the rear edge of said top wall, standards connected to the front face of said strip and having grooves in their front edges in alignment with the transverse grooves, a front transparent panel having its lower edge seated in the longitudinal groove, end and partition transparent panels having their lower edges seated in the transverse grooves and their rear ends seated in the grooves of the standards with their front ends engaging the front panel, a top transparent panel resting on the upper edges of the other panels and on the upper ends of the standards, means for securing the top panel to said upper ends of the standards, said panels, with the top wall, forming a series of compartments, and a door for closing the rear of each compartment having its lower edge hinged to the upper edge of the strip.

y WYATT Y. Wil-II TLEY. 

